Cutlery



April 5, 1932. J SOVATKIN 1,852,542

CUTLERY Filed Dec. 26, 1929 IN VEN TOR.

Patented 5, 1932 fill'ATES PATET' OFFICE ED'WARD 3'. SOVATKIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO J. SKLAR MANUFAC- TURING (30., 11111, 035' BROOKLYN, YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CUTLERY Application filed December 26, 1929. Serial No. 416,438.

his invention relates to cutlery. It is directed to a surgical clamp and the like instruments.

An object of the invention is to provide in Q an instrument of the character described, having a mortise joint between the crossing portions of the instrument, means for adjusting the device to tighten or loosen the connection between said crossed portions, whereby true alignment between the jaws or working points of the instrument may be effectively maintained, the construction nevertheless being such as to provide for smooth and eflicient operation and great durability.

A further object of this invention is to provide a neat, compact, rugged instrument of the character described, which shall be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, comprise few and simple parts, easy to assemble and manipulate and which shall yet be smooth in operation and practical and efficient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter (le:--1C1'il')ed, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 a top plan view of an instrument cmbodyin g the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the instrument with the aws open;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of 2; and

Fig. 4 is a crosssectional view taken on line its- 1: of Fig. 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, 10 designates an instrument embodying the invention in the form of a surgical clamp or forceps comprising a pair of crossed members 11 and 12 pivoted to one another, in the manner hereinafter appearing, as at 13.

Said members 11 and 12 comprise arms 11a and 12a and jaws 11b and 12?) respectively. Looped handle portions 14 and 15 extend from the rear ends of the arms 11a and 12a respectively, for receiving the users lingers.

Preferably integrally formed with the arm 11a is a ratchet member 1 1?) adapted to cooperate with a pawl 15b extending from the arm 12a, for releasably retaining the arms in clamped position.

The jaws 11b and 125 may be curved and formed with serrations 16' and 17 on the inner faces thereof respectively. The jaw 12?) may further be provided with a mouse tooth 18 at the end thereof adapted to cooperate with a complementary groove or recess 19 formed on the outer end of jaw 111).

In instruments having crossed, interpivoted portions, generally, and particularly in the type of forceps or clamp having a mouse tooth construction, it is of great importance to maintain the jaws in substantially perfect alignment. To this end, in accordance with this invention, member 11 is formed with a central slot 25 forming spaced, thin, parallel guide plates for portions 25a and 25b for snugly receiving therebetween a reduced portion 26 formed on the member 12 and thus providing a mortise or box joint or look ensuring alignment between the aws. It will be noted that member 12 is provided with substantially pa 'allel shoulders 27 defining the ends of the reduced portion 26 adapted to engage shoulders 28 formed on member 11 upon closing the instrument.

Difficulty has been found, however, in the use of the box or mortise joint or lock in instruments of the type generally shown herein, and provided with an ordinary rivet for pivoting the crossed portions, sincewith continual sterilization the locks may become rusted on the inside thereby causing the instrir ment to stick or become too tight to prevent the proper operation of the same. Furthermore, with continual use, wear oftcncauscs the lock to become too loose. For obviating these difficulties, means is provided for adusting the joint to permit tightening or loosening of the same. To this end, the re (hiced portion 26 is provided with abore or opening 29. Said guide portion 25m is provided with an opening 30 aligned with said opening 29 and with an enlarged opening 31 concentric with said openings 30 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The guide plate or portion 25b is provideo with a screw threaded opening 32 aligned with The connection between members 11 and 12 may be tightened by turning the screw in one direction to draw the guide plate portions 25a and 25?), which are relatively thin and hence somewhat flexible, toward one another and pressing the same into tight frictional engagement with the opposite faces of portion 26. For loosening the connection between said members 11 and 12, the screw need merely be turned in the opposite direction to relieve pressure and frictional engagement between portions 25a and 25?) with the interposed portion 26. The user may thus easily and quickly adjust the instrument when desired, the screw head 36 being provided with a kerf 40 for receiving a screw driver for this purpose.

Although scissors, clamps and the like have been made with screw joints, difliculty has been experienced with such constructions,

since when the screws become loose, the jaws easily get out of alignment. A dominant feature of this invention is the incorporation into a single instrument such as a surgical clamp or forceps, of a mortise or box lock and an eflici-ent adjusting means whereby alignment of the jaws is insured and adjust ment of the instrument is nevertheless provided for, thus providing a highly eficient, practical and durable instrument.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be mad-e in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A surgical clamp comprising a pair of crossed members having curved jaws, a tooth at the end of one jaw, the other jaw being formed with a recessfor receiving said tooth, a mortise oint for said member, and a screw pivotally interconnecting said members at said joint adapted to adjust the degree of frictional engagement between said members.

2. A surgical clamp comprising a member having a thru slot forming a pair of spaced parallel portions, a second member having a portion extending thru said slot and between said parallel portions, jaws curved out of the plane of said members extending therefrom, one of said jaws being formed wlth a tooth at the end thereof, the other jaw being formed with a recess for receiving said tooth, and a screw pivotally interconnecting said members, said screw having a head contacting one of said parallel portions and a portion having screw threaded engagement wlth said other parallel portion only.

3. A surgical clamp comprising a member having a thru slot forming a pair of spaced parallel portions, a second member having a portion extending thru said slot and between parallel portions and a screw pivotally lnterconnecting said members, one of sald portions having a recess on the outer side thereof, said screw having a head received within said recess and a shank portion having screw threaded connection with the other of sald parallel portions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature.

EDWARD J. SOVAT (IN. 

